A woman in her 60s has become the first recorded death in Palestine on 25 March due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Health.

From the village of Biddu, north of Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank, “The woman had experienced symptoms and was later hospitalised” and later succumbed to the virus, Ibrahim Melhem, the Ministry of Health spokesperson said.

The woman is still yet to be identified. Her daughter and son-in-law have also tested positive for the virus, also known as COVID-19.

According to the ministry, as of Wednesday evening, 64 people have tested positive for the virus in Palestinian territories, 16 of whom are recovering.

Melhem urged Palestinians to stay at home, and for workers coming from inside Israel to quarantine for 14 days.

The Israeli army is preparing a military lockdown for its checkpoints that will seal many Palestinian towns and cities in the West Bank.

Since emerging in Wuhan, China, last December, the virus has spread to at least 172 countries and regions, according to data compiled by the US-based Johns Hopkins University.

Data shows more than 441,100 cases have been reported worldwide, with nearing 20,000 deaths and greater than 111,900 recoveries.